Why players can feel safe at PokerStars PokerStars Game Security Team
Two PokerStars Security Teams Overview Security Fraud against the Company This is anywhere the loss is incurred by the Company and includes payment fraud, bonus abuse Game Security Fraud against other players The integrity of our gameplay and fairness for all players is a top priority of the Company. This type of fraud includes collusion, use of prohibited software and account sharing. 11/24/2011 1
PokerStars Teamwork to Fight Fraud Security Game Security Operations Verifications Investigations Marketing Security Account Sharing Prohibited Software Collusion Fraud against the company Including: Financial transactions Account hacking Typically outside the game of poker Fraud between players Including: Rules breaches Typically inside the game of poker 11/24/2011 2
Game Security Team Mission: To enhance player trust by providing the safest poker games in the industry 11/24/2011 3
Game Fraud PokerStars Game Security Team
Game Fraud Three main fraud categories are perpetrated against players: Collusion (two or more players working together) Prohibited software (using software that gives unfair advantage) Account sharing (using multiple accounts) Dedicated teams of experts investigate each area Two complementary sources of cases: Proactive alerts detected by PokerStars Every player allegation is investigated 11/24/2011 5
Investigatory Process A preliminary investigation is conducted The player is either exonerated, or The account is frozen and further information is sought from player If further action is required, peer review is performed The player(s) are notified of the outcome Player has full access to an escalation and appeal process 11/24/2011 6
Collusion - overview PokerStars investigates: Player-reported allegations Suspicious activity detected by PokerStars PokerStars has hired expert poker players, many former professional players and other experienced staff to perform these tasks Prevention: An automated system identifies closely related players and prevents them from playing together Education: Non-malicious offenders are educated 11/24/2011 7
Collusion system alerts PokerStars proprietary collusion detection system Identifies players who play together frequently Detects suspicious hands played Detects closely related players Prioritises collusion alerts on above information 11/24/2011 8
Bots and Prohibited Software PokerStars Investigates: Bots and prohibited software detected by PokerStars systems Player-reported allegations of prohibited software use Player allegations are very poor indicators over the history of our site just a handful of accounts have been correctly identified as bots by players Examine how players interact with PokerStars software Education and Prevention: Automated popup warning notices are deployed to educate players in the first instance, when commercially available prohibited software is detected in use 11/24/2011 9
Account Sharing Signature Tournament Reviews Conduct reviews of large tournaments with large guaranteed prize pools Review accounts to ensure no account sharing (playing in anonymity) and/or duplicate registration Tournament Registration Alerts Automated alerts detect suspicious tournament registration patterns VPN use and IP location jumps 11/24/2011 10
Summary ROI for PokerStars continued investment in Game Security Provides player confidence that delivers the company with a proven competitive edge Helps to mitigate the occurrence of large scale cheating scandals which might damage the brand and the industry Challenges for PokerStars Game Security Existing and future segregated regulatory environments that potentially weaken the existing standard of game protection provided by PokerStars.com The existence of unregulated, under-funded, negligent or reckless competitors who often provide little game protection, thus undermining the reputation of the industry as a whole 11/24/2011 11
Thank You PokerStars Game Security Team